The present invention relates to a ferrule assembly disposable in a housing of an optical connector.
Fiber optic connectors that house optical fibers of a ribbon cable are known. One common type of multi-fiber optical connector is the mechanical transfer push/pull (“MTP”) connector. A conventional MTP connector includes a connector housing and an MT ferrule assembly disposed at least partially within the connector housing. FIG. 1, which is FIG. 2 of U.S. Pat. No. 5,806,175 (with different reference numbers), is an illustration of an MTP connector. The '175 patent is incorporated herein by reference.
As shown in FIG. 1, the MTP connector 10 includes a connector housing assembly 14 and an MT ferrule assembly 16 that is configured to be disposed within the connector housing assembly 14. The MT ferrule assembly 16 typically includes an MT ferrule 18 that is forward biased by a coiled spring 20 disposed between the ferrule 18 and a ferrule carrier body 22. The ferrule 18 has through-holes (not visible) for receiving alignment pins 26 of a pin holder 24. A ribbon cable 12 having one or more ribbon fibers extends through the ferrule carrier body 22, the coiled spring 20, the pin holder 24 and is terminated in the ferrule 18. A crimp ring 28 is slidable over an end of the ferrule carrier body 22 to securely attach the MTP connector 10 to the ribbon cable 12 when crimped. A strain relief boot 30 is placed over the crimp ring 28 to protect the connection between the ribbon cable 12 and the MT ferrule assembly 16, as well as to provide strain relief for the ribbon cable 12.
The process for assembling the MTP connector 10 of FIG. 1 is generally as follows. The backing components, such as the strain relief boot 30, the crimp ring 28, the ferrule carrier body 22, the coiled spring 20, and the pin holder 24, are first assembled on the ribbon cable 12. After the outer jacket of the ribbon cable 12 has been stripped, the fibers are disposed in the ferrule 18. Ends of the fibers in the ferrule 18 are trimmed and the front surface of the ferrule 18 is polished so that the ends of the fibers are coplanar with the front surface. The rest of the connector 10 is then assembled.
The inventors of the present invention have recognized some disadvantages of the MTP connector discussed above. For example, when the backing components are assembled on the ribbon cable prior to termination of the fibers in the ferrule, any mistake during the assembly (e.g., missing a component) would result in the need for re-terminating the ferrule and the disposal of the backing components. As the costs for the ferrules and the termination are significant, this is a real concern. Also, because of the number of backing components and their assembly requirements, the process of assembly is difficult and costly and potential damage to the backing components is a common concern.
What is desired, therefore, is a ferrule assembly for a connector that can address these and other disadvantages of the present connectors.